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Most of the time when my phone rings, it's usual and regular business, but once in a while I get a call that has the impact of hitting the Daily Lotto. This story is the result of one such call. It was from a fellow in Nissan's Global Marketing Department, who casually offered a ride in last year's JGTC GT500-winning Nismo Skyline GT-R.

The author gets familiarized with the car's tight cockpit."I'm not really into rides," I replied. "And going all the way across the Pacific just to ride shotgun isn't my thing."

"I never said 'ride,' " the voice solemnly said. "We would like you to drive the car for a few laps before an actual JGTC race."

Where do I sign?

On a hot day at the Tokachi International Raceway in Hokkaido, I was strapped in beside the number-one driver of this year's Xanavi-sponsored Nismo 350Z, Satoshi Motoyama. He showed me the racing line of Tokachi, which isn't a very difficult track to learn because its layout is quite simple. After two laps, the Nismo pit crew strapped me into the driver's seat and I was off.

The first thing that impresses about the Skyline GT-R GT500 is its civility. Sure, it's loud and stiff, but the seats are surprisingly comfortable, the steering is relatively light, and there aren't the knocking and vibrations associated with full-blown race cars.

The first lap, I did at about 5/10ths, with instructions not to rev past the 6700-rpm mark, which I diligently obeyed, hoping to build up trust for future rides such as this. The car turned in well, and there wasn't the slightest bit of under- or oversteer. For the second lap, I clicked the effort up a tenth. And for the third, another tenth. The remainder of the session was spent running at about 7/10ths, not wanting to damage the car in any way. (These babies are priced at about a million dollars.)

But at 7/10ths, it's easy to feel the car working. The Bridgestone racing slicks were getting warmer, really taking a bite of the tarmac. The g's through the corners were awesome, as I actually got a bit lightheaded on some of the fast stuff. The sequential transmission was easy to operate, and the pedals were tailor-made for heel-and-toeing. On the straight, when the throttle pedal goes to the floor, the acceleration is intense, as the turbocharged inline-6 powerplant belts out its operatic song. The first corner came upon me in a snap and I stood on the brakes. The brake pedal was a bit stiff, but the car slowed as if it had driven over superglue. Turn in, look for the late apex, and back on the throttle. What a rush. Too bad it was only five laps.

As I climbed out of the car, it seemed that these GT500 machines may just be the most refined race cars on the planet. They're fast, sure, but they provide a level of comfort and finesse that's unthinkable in comparable race cars. That said, driving one for two hours at the limit takes a lot of skill and endurance. My hat's off to Motoyama and the other JGTC drivers. Wonder if they'd like to let me test-drive their Z now...